


Hold Me in Your Arms

by yinyangswings



Series: This Shit is Weird: The Ayden Trevelyan Story [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Blood, Blood and Injury, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Characters Are Mentioned, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-20 19:45:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11927949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yinyangswings/pseuds/yinyangswings
Summary: A trip to the Emerald Graves results in one of Dorian's worsts fears coming true.





	Hold Me in Your Arms

**Author's Note:**

> So here is what [Ayden Trevelyan](http://68.media.tumblr.com/3d5c03a56d6383e17a78d89bf634cdf4/tumblr_ovdbu9bpEU1rvaltqo1_1280.png) looks like

It felt like a nightmare for Dorian, one he yearned to wake up from.

Ayden had turned for a slight minute to check, a smile gracing his lips, and likely a joke on the tip of his tongue that would have had him and Cassandra groaning in exasperation while Sera cackled as they fought another Venatori group in the Emerald Graves.

Suddenly a sickening **_‘THUNK’_** echoed in the battlefield and Dorian felt as though the world stilled at the arrow impaled through Ayden’s chest. The rogue stumbled for a moment, before teetering and falling forward onto the ground, landing on his side, his daggers falling into the soft mud. Then time sped back up as Sera screeched curse after curse as she aimed her bow at the archer, felling him, and Cassandra bashed another warrior back, yelling out for...him??

He hadn’t even realized he had dashed over to Ayden, falling to his knees.

“Inquisitor! Ayden!! AYDEN!!” He called desperately, earning no reply. “AMATUS!!”

Blood stained his tunic, the stain growing larger with each passing minute.

“Shite! Shite! Is he okay?! Why isn’t he okay?! Can’t you fix’im?!”

“I’m a necromancer Sera, not a healer!” Dorian replied, his voice shaking as he brushed Ayden’s hair back weakly. Ayden drew a shallow breath in. Breathing, he was still breathing. The arrow hadn’t punctured a lung or his windpipe.

He was alive...but for how long?

“We need to get to the camp!” Cassandra yelled out as she hurried over to the group.

“He’s badly injured, moving him could make things worse!!” Dorian snapped angrily as Ayden took another shallow breath. Weaker this time.

“We don’t have a choice, Dorian! We have enough healing potions to get him to the Direstone Camp. Vivienne and the others are there.” Cassandra said and Dorian looked at the Seeker, who couldn’t even mask her worry.

“Getting to the camp is our only chance. And his chance. Maker pray that we make it in time.”

* * *

Bloody bandages covered the ground and Dorian stared at Ayden’s head resting in his lap, listening to his ragged breathing as Vivienne and Solas worked at the wounds with the other healer. He pushed down the bile as he stared at the broken halves of the arrow resting in the basin.

“Is he going to be alright?!”

“We’re working on him, Dorian.”

“Yes, Serah Pavus we’re working-”

“I understand that! But-”

Vivienne grabbed Dorian by the neckline of his robes, Solas barely managing to catch Ayden’s head as the First Enchanter dragged the Altus and shoved him out into the campgrounds.

“Kaffas, woman! What was that for?!”

“You have to stay out here, you’re interfering with Solas, my, and the healer’s work.”

“I’m not leaving him!!” Dorian snapped. “You can’t expect me to-”

“Look around you Dorian!” Vivienne snapped, her usual coolness gone.”You are not the only one who is worried!”

Dorian looked over his shoulder, blinking as saw everyone mingling around the camp. The scouts were pacing around nervously, looking out as though waiting for any other bastards to try and invade the camp. Sera had taken refuge in a tree, and he could hear sniffling from where he stood. Blackwall was sharpening his blade with a wet stone, though his gaze seemed to be anywhere but there in the present, eyes stormy. Bull was apparently sparring with a poor tree that looked to be almost snapped in half. Cassandra was farther from the group on her knees, clearly in prayer, though her shoulders shook silently. And Varric sat on a partially uprooted stump, seemingly lost in thought, his quill in his hand, but still against parchment.

“We will do everything we can, Dorian. But not with you hovering over us like a vulture.” Vivienne said, a hint of compassion in her voice, before turning around and re-entering the tent, leaving Dorian standing out there.

He slumped onto a log, head in his hands, trying to stop the shaking in his shoulders as the world continued around him. Taunting him.

“He hears you.”

“Kaffas!” Dorian jumped, whirling around glaring at Cole. The boy seemed to not notice his unease.

“Burning, hard to breathe...it hurts so much. But I can hear him. Can’t give up...can’t hurt him more.” Cole muttered softly and Dorian suddenly found it difficult to breathe as well. “He doesn’t want to hurt you...so he’s fighting to stay alive.” Dorian couldn’t reply, his throat feeling as though he had swallowed sand-paper and his eyes burned, while the world seemed to melt, and he covered his eyes as tears finally slid down his face. He didn’t seem to have the strength to shrug the hand on his shoulder as Cole settled next to him, a silent comfort as they all waited on the prognosis on their Inquisitor.

* * *

It felt like an eternity before Vivienne walked out, wiping her hands on a damp piece of stained linen. Energy returned and Dorian shot up, stumbling a moment before righting himself. Vivienne looked at him calmly.

“...He’ll be alright.”

The tension in the camp seemed to drain out in an instant.

“He’s weak at the moment, but the arrow is out and by the grace of the Maker, it missed anything vital by mere inches.” She continued to explain, and Dorian finally noticed how exhausted she looked. Still she straightened her back, looking as ever strong as someone with the nickname ‘Madame de Fer’ would, and then settled a hand on his shoulder.

“Do go along and go inside, darling. He’s been asking for you.”

“He...what?” Dorian managed.

“He regained consciousness several times during that. Only for a few moments, but he kept saying your name. It was rather quaint.” She replied easily and heat traveled up the back of Dorian’s neck.

“...Thank you.” Dorian managed and walked around her. He barely heard Sera asking to go in, nor did he hear Vivienne’s response as he pushed the tent flap open and entered, almost running into Solas. The apostate observed him for a moment, clearly just as exhausted as Vivienne.

“Pavus.” Solas greeted walking around him.

“Solas...I...thank you.” Dorian finally managed. The elf was silent and offered a tired smile, before quietly exiting the tent. Dorian stared at the tent flap, unsure of what that smile meant. Unsure if he wanted to find out, but-

“Dorian…”

Dorian turned back in an instant, any thought of what Solas’s smile meant vanishing upon spotting Ayden’s eyes partially open, groggy and confused, but staring at him. He offered a slight tired smile.

“H-hey you…” He murmured, offering that same crooked smile, forcing an eye open, and looking at him tiredly, his smile growing as Dorian began to shake, walking over and settling down next to the bedroll.

“You utter bastard.”

“Missed you too.” Ayden murmured with a tired chuckle, leaning into Dorian’s touch. The mage shook slightly, visibly swallowing. “Heard you created quite the uproar out there…”

“All...all your doing, I’m afraid.” Dorian replied, forcing back the urge to sniffle.

“ **My** doing?”

“For being such a horrible person to pull that stunt and scaring us to death.” Dorian managed, pushing his bangs aside.

“Ah yes...the nearly get myself killed stunt. It’s growing to be a rather repetitive one.” Ayden remarked.

“It is growing rather redundant.” Dorian admitted and Ayden chuckled softly.

“Can’t have that.” Ayden replied lightly, coughing to clear his throat, he began to struggle to sit up, only to be stopped by Dorian.

“Now, now none of that. You just finished being patched up. No need to undo all their good work. I don’t think Vivienne would be none too happy if you tear your wound open again.”

“...Touché.” Ayden muttered tiredly, slumping back in his bedroll, before looking around. “Where are we?”

“Direstone Camp. It was the closest site from where the fight was. You almost didn’t make it.” He replied, pushing Ayden’s hair back. Ayden’s gaze shifted and he looked at Dorian, analyzing.

“Are you okay? Sera? Cassandra?”

“I am perfectly fine, naturally. So are the others. You however…”

“I’m fine, slightly wounded, not dying.”

“Slightly…?”

“Okay, a healed chest wound. But I’m not dead.”

“I’m well aware of that, Amatus. Your complaining tells me as much.”

“…You’re upset.” Ayden said softly, and Dorian’s head snapped up from where his gaze had been on his hand, his eyes alight with anger.

“Of course I’m upset!! You were shot by an arrow! Through your chest! I thought you weren’t going to make it and die in my arms on the way to camp!” Dorian snapped. “For a little while, I thought I had lost you!”

Ayden blinked in surprise, cocking his head to the side as Dorian grumbled under his breath.

“I’m sorry…”

“You should be. Kaffas, you have no idea how worried we all were.”

“I can figure it out fine.” Ayden replied softly, sliding his hand over and grazing Dorian’s hand. “And I am sorry. I’ll pay better attention, promise.”

“Just…don’t scare me like that again, you bastard.” Dorian asked, cupping his face. Ayden grinned, leaning into the touch.

“I won’t…promise. If Sera doesn’t kick my ass, I’m pretty sure you’ll take her place.”

“Who says I wouldn’t do it with her?”

“Promises, promises.” Ayden replied with a grin, closing his eyes as Dorian kissed him. He returned it slowly, enjoying it as it pushed deeper.

“Mmm…as much as I like where this could go, I think Vivienne or Cassandra would murder us both if we were caught.” He teased lowly when they parted for a moment, and though Dorian muttered an agreement, he moved forward, kissing Ayden again. Ayden smiled softly, his eyes half-lidded.

“Well if that’s the response I get for nearly dying, I should do it more often.” He teased. Clearly not the brightest things to say he realized belatedly, as Dorian stiffened. For a moment, he thought he was about to be yelled at again, however Dorian suddenly pulled him close, burying his face into the crook of Ayden’s neck. Ayden blinked rapidly.

“Not again…I don’t think I could bear it again.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Not again.” Dorian repeated and Ayden managed a slow nod.

“It won’t happen again. Sorry.” Ayden muttered softly, slowly pressing a hand to Dorian’s back. He kept quiet, only muttering apologies again and again to each sound Dorian made. Dorian moved away when they heard other voices, and seconds later Sera burst in, cursing as she flopped down next to Ayden, muttering warnings and threats for him to never scare her like that again, followed by Cassandra, who sat down next to Sera. 

The seeker couldn’t help but notice that despite having moved slightly, neither men had let go of each other’s hand, and smiled lightly as the anxious energy surrounding the camp slowly eased.

* * *

They don’t really speak of it when they return to Skyhold. But as Dorian watched Ayden undress, the light of the candles casted a shadow over his newest scar, its twin parallel on the rogue’s back, he grimaced. A reminder on just how close he was to have lost Ayden.

“Dorian?” Ayden gently called out, walking over to Dorian, cupping his cheek. He shook his head, pulling Ayden closer to him. “Are you alright?”

“Just thinking, Amatus.”

“A dangerous thing.”

“Hmm…” he muttered, lightly kissing the scar. “Come to bed.”

Ayden frowned.

“Dorian...I’m fine.”

“You almost weren’t. A few inches to the left, a few inches down...it could have hit your heart. It...When I saw you fall...I thought...” Ayden was quiet, cupping Dorian’s face lightly.

“I’m sorry...for scaring you like that, Dorian.”

“Don’t do this again.”

“Dorian...I can’t promise-”

“Please…”

“Alright...one way or another I’ll find my way back to you.” Ayden finally said after a moment’s pause. Dorian huffed.

“That isn’t what I meant.”

“But I can promise you that at least, Dorian.” Ayden replied gently, kissing him lightly. “Just as the sun rises from the east and sets in the west,” Ayden smiled softly, “I’ll make my way back to you.”

Dorian was quiet, just pulling Ayden close as the two laid down, pressing his ear to Ayden’s chest, listening to the steady thrum of of his heartbeat and the slow rise and fall of his chest, eyes closing as Ayden gently ran a hand over his hair, and finally he fell asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> The amount of times that Ayden has been felled by an arrow is one too many times.


End file.
